Authorities: Casey Kasem found in Washington state

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Casey Kasem was located in Washington state on Thursday,
three days after a Los Angeles judge expressed concerns about the ailing radio
host's whereabouts and safety.

Kasem's condition was not immediately known, although his children rejoiced
after days of uncertainty and said in a statement that locating their father was
the first step in bringing him back to the Los Angeles area.

Santa Monica police Sgt. Mario Toti said Kasem was located by the Kitsap
County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday, hours after Kasem's children filed a
missing person's report. Kasem's daughter Kerri, who was appointed his temporary
conservator at a court hearing on Monday, had to wait for court filings before
she was able to file the report.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy ordered adult protective
services and court investigators to try to locate Kasem after an attorney for
his wife told the court that the former "Top 40" host was no longer in the
United States but he did not know where he was.

Kerri Kasem's attorney Troy Martin said during the hearing that Kasem had
been moved to an Indian reservation but was not sure because he had been
frequently moved from medical facilities.

"We are grateful to the local authorities for finding my dad," Kerri Kasem
wrote in a statement. "We are one step closer to bringing him home."

Casey Kasem, 82, has been in poor health in recent years. Kerri Kasem's court
filings state her father is suffering from a form of dementia called Lewy Body
Disease that had previously been incorrectly diagnosed as an advanced form of
Parkinson's disease.

Until Monday, Casey Kasem's wife of 34 years, Jean, had been in control of
his medical care and controlled access to him. She has blocked three of Kasem's
children from a previous marriage, including Kerri Kasem, from seeing him in
recent months, according to court filings.

Danny Deraney, a spokesman for Kerri Kasem and her siblings, said the family
still had "grave concerns" about Casey Kasem's health.

Jean Kasem's attorney Craig Marcus argued Monday that his client had the
right to move her husband to any facility she saw fit. Murphy said he had the
authority to order an investigation into Casey Kasem's whereabouts and appointed
an independent attorney and doctor to evaluate the radio host.

Casey Kasem gained fame with his radio music countdown shows, "American Top
40" and "Casey's Top 40," and was the voice of Shaggy in the cartoon "Scooby
Doo."

Murphy scheduled a hearing for June 20 to receive updates on Kasem's health
and wellbeing.